Ageless Beauty

Do You Have Chronic Dry Eye – Like Me?

2009-11-08T05:00:00.001-06:00

I guess dry eye is just another one of those things that comes with age. Oh well …

If I were given a menu of the afflictions of aging I could choose from, I would probably pick dry eye for one. This is not to minimize the condition. Unmanaged, dry eye can result in extremely painful corneal abrasions and even scarring of the cornea. I had several corneal injuries before I was diagnosed and before I learned to deal with the symptoms of dry eye.

My point is that dry eye is very manageable in most cases. If you awake in the morning and find it difficult to open your eyes – almost as if your lids are stuck to your eyeballs (duh, they were); if you have a lot of eye pain or find yourself blinking excessively (trying to produce tears – duh again); sensitivity to light, itching, redness or blurred vision, see your eye doctor. You may have dry eye.

Today, dry eye seems to have “come into its own” so to speak. With the release of drugs for chronic dry eye, everyone has now heard of this condition and – better yet – knows that there are ways to manage it.

This blog entry was sparked by a terrific four-part series I signed up for with RealAge.com. The series addresses living quite comfortably with dry eye and includes much more than drug solutions.

Lubricating eye drops are improving all the time. As I mentioned, there’s now a drug option for certain types of dry eye. But there are many other steps one can take for eye health and comfort.

One certainly can’t feel like an Ageless Beauty with red, painful, itchy eyes.

Come back tomorrow. I’ll share more of what I’ve learned about living with dry eye over the last 15 years.

[This entry is not meant to provide medical advice. It comes from my heart – from my heart to your eyes ;-)]

Tags: dry eye, eye health, eye pain, eye care, take care of your eyes , chronic eye pain, corneal abrasions, lubricating eye drops

Mediterranean Lifestyle Correlates with Low Risk of Depression

2009-11-07T05:00:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I told you about a recent study which found those who followed the Mediterranean diet were more than 30% less likely to develop depression than those who did not.

The researchers suggested that individual components of the diet may improve blood vessel function, fight inflammation, reduce the risk of heart disease, and repair oxygen-related cell damage, all of which may affect the risk of developing depression.

The researchers further noted that, "It is plausible that the synergistic combination of a sufficient provision of omega-three fatty acids together with other natural unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants from olive oil and nuts, flavonoids and other phytochemicals from fruit and other plant foods and large amounts of natural folates and other B vitamins in the overall Mediterranean dietary pattern may exert a fair degree of protection against depression."

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and find some of Jean’s favorite Mediterranean-style recipes, read these related articles:

• From Roma to Sonoma – the Mediterranean diet is accessible even if you don’t live on the Mediterranean;
• The Mediterranean Way – it’s a lifestyle, not a diet;
• Secrets of the World’s Healthiest Populations; and
• Are You on Board with the Mediterranean/Sonoma Lifestyle Yet?

Tags: Mediterranean lifestyle, Mediterranean diet, health-giving diet, Sonoma lifestyle, Sonoma diet , reduced risk of depression, depression research

Mediterranean Lifestyle Correlates with Low Risk of Depression

2009-11-06T05:00:00.003-06:00

Do you need yet another reason to adopt the Mediterranean lifestyle? Listen to this: the traditional Mediterranean diet may reduce your risk of depression. Just considering the components of the healthy Mediterranean diet lifts my spirits! It also makes my mouth water – lol.

The Mediterranean way of eating (and its derivativem, the Sonoma Diet, for those who don’t live on the sunny shores of the Mediterranean) is rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains accompanied by small amounts of monounsaturated fats like olive oil (rather than the saturated fats found in dairy products and meats) as well as fish rather than meat (to meet the body's need for protein).

The study, carried out by researchers at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Pamplona Spain, followed the dietary habits of 10,000+ healthy adults for almost four and a half years. The results were published in the October 2009 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Those subjects who most closely followed the Mediterranean diet were more than 30% less likely to develop depression than those who didn't. Read that again: a 30% lower risk of depression!

Come back tomorrow to learn more.

Tags: Mediterranean lifestyle, Mediterranean diet, health-giving diet, Sonoma lifestyle, Sonoma diet , reduced risk of depression, depression research

One Educated Consumer DIYs Her Skin Care

2009-11-05T05:00:00.001-06:00

Jean admires the effort but wouldn’t broadly recommend making your own skin creams.

=============================================

I appreciate your work; and thanks for comparing the products but I can not help but feel sorry for women who are not wise enough to read between the lines on all this products and realize they could make their own creams and render much better results.

I have educated myself and created my own creams for the last 25 years. I am almost 50 and not a wrinkle, saggy skin or uneven tone on my face.

Thanks again and if one day I had to buy a cream I will take your advice.

Olivia

=============================================

Hi Olivia,

Wow, I’m impressed! I wouldn’t attempt to mix my own face creams, etc. I’m not a chemist and I don’t have a lab-clean kitchen (Shh, don’t tell anyone!). I’m sure you know that some of the most successful skin care companies started just like you – in someone’s home kitchen.

However, like you I really do make an effort to educate myself, to read ingredient labels from top to bottom and to stay on top of new developments in the field of skin care. As well, I watch for and read carefully any news and research on ingredients that may be cause for concern.

It gives me joy to pass the information on to my readers. Even though you’ll not likely be buying any “ready-to-wear”creams recommended by me in the near future, thank you for the vote of confidence.

It means a lot coming from someone who really knows of what she speaks.

Regards,
Jean

Related article: O: The Oprah Magazine Reviews Mix-Your-Own Moisturizer

Tags: DIY skin care, cosmetic quality control, contaminated cosmetics, parabens, educated consumers, certified lab conditions, recommended skin products, effective ingredients

Free Beauty Events: Where Are They?

2009-11-04T05:00:00.001-06:00

If you’re trying to make your beauty dollars stretch further these days, you’ll want to check out a new website named FreeBeautyEvents.com. The site provides a calendar of free (and almost free) beauty events across the U.S.

You can just scroll down the listing on the home page looking for something in your area or use the Search by Zip Code box. Be careful there though. If you type anything within 300 miles for example, you may spend more on gas than you save by getting some free samples!

If you live near a large city, you’ll find a lot of fun happenings. If you live in a more rural area, don’t despair. Scroll down the event listing on the Home page and look for chain store events in your state. Then click on “View these event locations” to find a participating outlet near you.

Tags: free beauty events, free beauty samples, free makeovers, find beauty events near you, chain store beauty events save money , save money on makeup, save on beauty supplies, try makeup before you buy

Cover Girl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation: the Pros, Cons and Tips

2009-11-03T05:00:00.001-06:00

My review of Cover Girl Simply Ageless started yesterday.

Pros: High SPF; excellent coverage; lasts all day; cumulative anti-aging benefits of Regenerist Serum; matte finish is a good look for oily skin; and affordable.

Recommended for: Oily to normal skin and/or very uneven skin tone (age spots, rosacea, spider veins, prominent birth marks or scars).

Cons: Tricky shade selection and application.

Shade Selection Tip: Whether it’s due to the (white) Titanium Dioxide, the white swirl signaling two-products-in-one, or an optical illusion created by the white swirl (which makes the color appear darker by contrast), you need to go three to four shades darker than usual in selecting your shade.

There are 15 shades of Simply Ageless running in increments of five from #205 (lightest) to #275 (darkest). The first time I bought Simply Ageless, I selected #205 because the colored portion appeared to match my skin tone. [I will use the rest of #205 as an under eye concealer.]

I next tried #220 which is three shades darker. Close but not quite. I finally found my match at #225 which is four shades darker than my first purchase. Wow! See what I meant about shade selection being tricky. Given my role at Ageless Beauty, I get lots of practice and usually hit my shade dead-on the first time.

Application Tip: Don’t use the included sponge. I found this foundation much easier to apply and blend with just a clean finger.

Tags: makeup review, anti-aging makeup, foundation and serum combined, foundation coverage, makeup for uneven skin tone, foundation shade selection, foundation application tips, cream-to-powder foundation

Olay & Cover Girl Join Forces to Develop Unique Anti-Aging Foundation Makeup

2009-11-02T05:00:00.002-06:00

[Cosmetic Executive Women, Inc. “Insider’s Choice Beauty Winner”]

Simply Ageless?

Simply brilliant!

I wonder who at Procter and Gamble had the brainstorm to leverage Cover Girl’s expertise in makeup with Olay’s arguably #1 position in anti-aging skin care. Give that woman a promotion ;-)

I hope the partnership is going smoothly and that we will be seeing the development of more anti-aging makeup products in the Simply Ageless line. I personally would like to see a more moisturizing liquid version of Simply Ageless foundation for my very dry skin.

Cover Girl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation with SPF 22 is a cream-to-powder formulation. It goes on as a cream and dries to a long-lasting powdery matte finish. The compact includes its own makeup sponge.

The little cake of creamy foundation has a swirl of white running through it to convey the idea that you are getting two products in one: a Cover Girl cream-to-powder foundation; plus Olay’s award-winning anti-aging Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum.

It’s really a shame they added the white swirl. For one thing, Olay Regenerist Serum is not white; it’s translucent. More importantly, the white swirl makes color selection a bit tricky.

The coverage of Simply Ageless foundation is exceptional. It totally covers any redness, spider veins or age spots. Excellent coverage is mostly a good thing but means you need a perfect match for your skin.

Cover Girl’s ad copy states “This breakthrough formula with Olay Regenerist Serum and SPF 22 stays suspended over fine lines and wrinkles, unlike the leading anti-aging department store foundation that can gather in wrinkles and make skin look older.”

I guess it’s true that this foundation stays more on the surface than many others. In fact, what it reminds me of most is stage makeup.

Come back tomorrow for the pros and cons of Simply Ageless foundation, as well as shade selection and application tips.

Tags: makeup review, anti-aging makeup, foundation and serum combined, foundation coverage, makeup for uneven skin tone, foundation shade selection, foundation application tips, cream-to-powder foundation

It’s National Healthy Skin Month

2009-11-01T05:00:00.004-06:00

November is National Healthy Skin Month.

As I've said many times, anti-aging skin care is not just a matter of vanity but also a matter of health. The skin is the body's barrier against disease and infection. Thick healthy skin insulates us from the cold and perspires to release excess heat. Healthier cells are more resistant to disease, sun damage, and breakouts. Healthier skin not only looks younger, it reacts as younger skin would.

Healthy skin is young skin. To paraphrase John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” …

“‘Beauty is health, health beauty’ - that is all,
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”

Here are some tips to keep your skin young and healthy – this month and for the rest of your life.

• Protect from the sun’s harmful UV rays – by avoiding the sun’s most intense rays and with daily broad spectrum topicals and/or clothing.

• Protect from (other) free radical damage inside and out – with antioxidants in your skin care products, your daily diet and your daily supplement pills.

• Cleanse well but not roughly – adding chemical exfoliants when your body slow/stops hormone production that supports cell turnover.

• Moisturize inside and out – by hydrating your body inside with (non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic) beverages and your skin outside with skin-identical topicals.

• Minimize stress – both physical and mental stress can wreak havoc on your skin. Stick to your skin program no matter how stressed you feel. Find stress-reducers that work for you. Faith (reliance on God or a higher power), meditation and exercise are just a few proven ways to manage stress.

• After (approximately) age 45

See your dermatologist for an annual skin cancer check and do a monthly self-check.
Step Up Your Skin Care with cosmeceutical peptides to stimulate new collagen and elastin.

Love the skin you’re in. It's the only one you’ll get.

Tags: skin care, National Healthy Skin Month, skincare tips, sun protection, moisturize, exfoliate, skin cancer check, cosmeceutical peptides

Birthdays Getting You Down? Celebrate and Take Care of You!

2009-10-31T05:00:00.003-05:00

I'm feeling sick over turning 60!!

I don't see myself with the extra $ to do any procedures to improve my skin at his time so I'd like to get all that I can from skin creams. I like Olay (and I know you like it too).

What is the best regimen for minimizing deep wrinkles (around mouth area), moisturizing and firming?

Is the Olay Regenerist line better than the Pro-X? I've heard mixed things about that line.

What specific products should I look for?

Also, a friend of mine swears by StriVectin-SD. I would consider spending the extra $ for this if it is a better option.

Susan

=============================================

Hi Susan,

First of all, Happy Birthday! I don’t care which birthday it is; it’s cause for celebration. I want to congratulate you as well for being proactive about wanting to take care of your appearance.

There are plenty of affordable skin care anti-aging options. Let me see if I can provide some guidance. After all I have five more years of experience at this than you. ;-)

You sound like a brand-loyal buyer who wants one line that meets all (or most) of her needs. I wonder if you saw my recent Recommendations for Brand-Loyal Age Warriors.

You’ll see that, for affordable anti-aging skin care, I do recommend Olay Regenerist over Olay Pro-X. That’s because of the value I see in Regenerist. Pro-X has some stronger newer anti-aging ingredients, but at a significantly higher price.

If you can afford Pro-X, I would say, go for it; but if not, Regenerist is excellent as well.

As for StriVectin-SD, that’s another of my faves and is actually a relative bargain because the 6-ounce tube will last at least six months. However if that is beyond your budget, there are some pretty good drugstore “copycats”. Read my Comparison of StriVectin-SD and Preventin-AT here.

Follow all the steps in my Step Up Your Skin Care plan and you’ll be doing everything you can (short of medical procedures) to keep your skin healthy and more youthful looking.

Best birthday regards,
Jean

Tags: anti-aging skincare, skincare at 60, celebrate your age, step up your skin care, skincare lines for brand-loyal buyers , affordable skincare, effective skincare ingredients, drugstore skincare bargains

Mascara Design Innovation – What Next?

2009-10-30T05:00:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week, I reviewed Avon’s dial-up-the-volume Spectra Lash mascara which allows you to twist the base of the mascara tube to dispense a heavier or lighter coat.

I also reviewed the oscillating wand Maybelline Pulse Perfection mascara.

You can buy mascara with wands that tilt to whatever angle suits you for ease of application. All these gimmicks and innovations make one wonder what they might think of next.

Wonder no more. Canadian company, Belvada Cosmetics, just launched a unique and innovative mascara dispenser/applicator which the company calls a one-handed mascara pen.

The package design was developed in conjunction with HCP Packaging USA, a global leader in cosmetic packaging. And it’s pretty cool! Mascara Noir is available online through Belvada’s website. The company ships within Canada, as well as to the U.S., the U.K. and Europe.

After removing the cap (which does require two hands – oh well), the thumb is used to slide a button that moves the mascara wand up for application. As the wand exits the tube it brings the product up with it. The wand is neatly scraped by two wiper blades to dispense just the correct amount.

That’s Advantage #1; but there are two more as well.

Advantage #2: the user will not be pumping the wand in and out introducing air that causes the product to dry out more quickly and can also result in that annoying mascara bugaboo we call clumping.

Advantage #3: the almost-airtight system also greatly reduces the risk of bacterial growth and resultant eye infections, according to the manufacturer.

The package design is patent pending. It will be interesting to see if Belvada and HCP decide to license the design to other cosmetic manufacturers or if other manufacturers can tweak the idea enough to launch their own similar mascara applicators.

In the meantime Brevada is the only game in town and I think they’ve got a winner!

I hope the contents are as good as the unique package design.

Tags: mascara review, package design, lash fantasy, mascara design, mascara formulas, mascara wand design, mascara clumping, one-handed mascara pen

Jean’s Mascaras: #10 through #13

2009-10-29T05:00:00.002-05:00

[This series started Sunday .]

#10: L’Oreal Shocking Volume

• Ease of Application: Easy but the two steps (good for sparse lashes) take a little extra time.
• Brush Design: Base brush has long soft bristles; mascara brush has short plastic ones.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: Yes.
• Clumps: Yes.
• Ease of Removal: Fair.
• Comments: Two-part system builds nice volume for sparse lashes.

#11: L’Oreal Telescopic

• Ease of Application: Difficult.
• Brush Design: Very short plastic bristles.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: No.
• Clumps: Yes.
• Ease of Removal: Fair.
• Comments: They should have telescoped the bristles instead of the wand. LOL.

#12: Revlon Beyond Natural

• Ease of Application: Fair.
• Brush Design: Awkward – one side has too-short comb-like bristles; the other has longer bristles.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: No.
• Clumps: Yes.
• Ease of Removal: Fair.
• Comments: Not recommended due brush design and clumping.

#13: Revlon DoubleTwist Mascara

• Ease of Application: Fine the first week; then disaster!
• Brush Design: Clumsy combo of short bristles and longer plastic teeth.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: Yes.
• Clumps: Tremendous!
• Ease of Removal: Fair.
• Comments: Not recommended due obvious problem with the formula (unbelievable clumping after a few days use).

Tags: mascara reviews, mascara ranking, lash fantasy, mascara design, mascara formulas, mascara wand design, mascara clumping, lengthening mascara, volumizing mascara

Jean’s Mascaras: #5 through #9

2009-10-28T05:00:00.001-05:00

[This series started Sunday .]

#5: Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express

• Ease of Application: Easy.
• Brush Design: Very nice brush with long soft bristles.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: Yes.
• Clumps: No.
• Ease of Removal: Easy.
• Comments: Colossal tube is probably designed to convey the idea of colossal lashes, but – surprise! – it actually contains a bit more than most mascara tubes and at a low price. Good Value.

#6: Maybelline Lash Stiletto

• Ease of Application: Easy.
• Brush Design: Nice long soft bristles.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: No.
• Clumps: No.
• Ease of Removal: Need oil-based remover.
• Comments: Glossy “patent leather” finish is nice especially for evening.

#7: Revlon 3D Extreme

• Ease of Application: Fair.
• Brush Design: Short but nice soft bristles.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: No.
• Clumps: Yes.
• Ease of Removal: Need oil-based remover.
• Comments: Rich creamy formula.

#8: Rimmel Eye Magnifier

• Ease of Application: Fair.
• Brush Design: Very short plastic bristles.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: Yes.
• Clumps: No.
• Ease of Removal: Need oil-based remover.
• Comments: Dry formula. Hard to get enough product on the short plastic bristles.

#9: Avon Astonishing Lengths

• Ease of Application: Fair.
• Brush Design: Too short bristles.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: No.
• Clumps: No.
• Ease of Removal: Easy.
• Comments: Pretty dry formula. Difficult to get enough product on the brush.

Tomorrow: # 10 through #13.

Tags: mascara reviews, mascara ranking, lash fantasy, mascara design, mascara formulas, mascara wand design, mascara clumping, lengthening mascara, volumizing mascara

Jean’s Mascaras: #1 through #4

2009-10-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

[This series started Sunday .]

#1: Avon Spectra Lash

• Ease of Application: Very easy.
• Brush Design: Long soft bristles and unique application.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: Yes.
• Clumps: No.
• Ease of Removal: Very easy.
• Comments: An Oprah pick. Swivel base allows you to dial up the volume. Richest formula I've yet found. Goes on smoothly and encourages lashes to curl.

#2: Rimmel Lash Maxxx

• Ease of Application: Very easy.
• Brush Design: Plastic comb applicator.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: Yes.
• Clumps: No.
• Ease of Removal: Easy.
• Comments: My #1 pick for those who like plastic bristles. Formula encourages lash curling.

#3: Maybelline Pulse Perfection

• Ease of Application: Easy.
• Brush Design: Has battery to oscillate the brush. Brush has longish plastic bristles which I prefer to use without the battery-power – but that’s just me.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: Yes.
• Clumps: No.
• Ease of Removal: Easy.
• Comments: Kind of fun to use. Good mascara formula.

#4: Clinique High Impact

• Ease of Application: Easy.
• Brush Design: Very nice brush with long soft bristles. Excellent “wiping ring” assures just the right amount of product.
• Lengthens: Yes.
• Volumizes: Yes.
• Clumps: No.
• Ease of Removal: Easy
• Comments: Would have ranked higher except for higher-than-average price for a simple mascara.

Tomorrow: # 5 through #9.

Tags: mascara reviews, mascara ranking, lash fantasy, mascara design, mascara formulas, mascara wand design, mascara clumping, lengthening mascara, volumizing mascara

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly – Jean Ranks her Recent Mascara Purchases

2009-10-26T05:00:00.002-05:00

Here is my raw ranking of the mascaras I purchased recently. Starting tomorrow I’ll post brief summaries of my observations for each individual product.

1. Avon Spectra Lash $9.50
2. Rimmel Lash Maxxx $7.50
3. Maybelline Pulse Perfection $15.00
4. Clinique High Impact $14.00
5. Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express $6.00
6. Maybelline Lash Stiletto $7.50
7. Revlon 3D Extreme $9.00
8. Rimmel Eye Magnifier $6.80
9. Avon Astonishing Lengths $7.50
10. L’Oreal Shocking Volume $13.00
11. L’Oreal Telescopic $9.50
12. Revlon Beyond Natural $8.00
13. Revlon DoubleTwist Mascara $8.00

Tomorrow: Jean's comments on # 1 through #4.

Tags: mascara reviews, mascara ranking, lash fantasy, mascara design, mascara formulas, mascara wand design, mascara clumping, lengthening mascara, volumizing mascara

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly – Jean Ranks her Recent Mascara Purchases

2009-10-25T05:00:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago I told you I have been on a mascara buying binge. Those little – and sometimes not so little – tubes would call out to me whenever I went to the drugstore or cosmetic counter. I also got a few tubes of mascara as gifts with purchase.

Before I knew it, I had accumulated quite a few (mostly unopened) mascaras to try. I thought it would be a lot of fun to test and rank-order them.

Boy, was I wrong! It was very difficult to do.

In the first place, I had selected most of them for some special feature they advertised, making it difficult to compare them head-to-head.

In the second place, you can’t really judge a makeup product after using it just once. You need to use it for several consecutive days or weeks to judge how easily it applies and comes off, how it wears and whether any problems develop as the product ages a wee bit.

I have my personal faves but would recommend almost any other of these mascaras (exceptions noted) to friends who have different lash fantasies than mine. I want easy on and off, length, good separation and no clumps.

If you crave volume, longer-lasting (but maybe a bit more difficult to remove) or gimmicks in your mascara design, you’ll find what you’re looking for in my list as well.

What’s your lash fantasy? Think about what you want from a mascara, then consult my list tomorrow to find it.

Tags: mascara reviews, mascara ranking, lash fantasy, mascara design, mascara formulas, mascara wand design, mascara clumping, lengthening mascara, volumizing mascara

Top Anti-Aging Skin Care Lines

2009-10-24T05:00:00.004-05:00

[Continuing my answer to Elise from yesterday.]

The anti-aging skin care lines I recommend you try if you do decide to switch from Annemarie Borlind, would be:

• Peter Thomas Roth;
• Nicholas Perricone MD Cosmeceuticals; or
• Olay Regenerist.

PTR and Perricone are quite costly. Olay is a more affordable alternative.

Your Question about Perricone Cold Plasma
I must say I am intrigued by the Cold Plasma Cream which Perricone launched just last month. The ingredient list is stellar, but what sets this cream apart is the delivery vehicle.

In a Vanity Fair interview, Dr. Perricone explained, “Just as the plasma in space provides all of the building materials necessary to create the planets and the stars, Cold Plasma in a jar functions as a carrier full of charged particles. The cell is intelligent. It will select from the nutrient-rich ionic suspension all that is necessary for its optimal nutrition.”

Cold Plasma was tested by 200 women aged 20 to 65 for a four-week period. The study participants reported their perceived improvements. Eighty-seven percent reported smoother skin, 81% reported reduced pore size, 89% – more radiant skin, 82% – more even skin tone. The 50 to 65-age group also reported firmer skin – 77%, and increased elasticity – 75%.

Those numbers are very impressive but I would like to see objective measures as well. You can read how I define A Well-Designed Clinical Trial here. The independent Cold Plasma study might have taken objective measures of improvement but not reported them.

If you do try it, I’d love to hear how you like it.

Perricone Cold Plasma also meets your desire for product purity like you found in Annemarie Borlind’s line. Cold Plasma does not contain any parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, or artificial fragrances or dyes.

I’m so glad you’re enjoying my website and that I could be of help. Thanks you!

Regards,
Jean

Tags: anti-aging skin care, Step Up Your Skin Care, effective ingredients, Matrixyl-containing products, auto-ship plan abuse, cosmeceuticals, all-natural vs.synthetic ingredients, wrinkles

Skin Care Advice for Brand-Loyal Age Warriors

2009-10-23T05:00:00.002-05:00

Hi Jean,

Okay - that was a great e-mail from you!

I just really hate changing systems all of the time. I do not want to have to think about it - but now I have to!

After I run out of my Borlind line of products, I will let you know how it goes. If there is no noticeable change I will go back to Borlind in a year.

What do you think of Perricone’s new Cold Plasma? It’s too overwhelming. There are too many products to choose from!

Thanks for your great website to help with this.

Elise

=============================================

Hi Elise,

You’re obviously a “brand-loyal buyer”. Once you find a line you like, you stick with it, right? At least until it isn’t meeting your needs anymore.

Though it’s a pain in the neck when that happens, once you’ve found a new line for the “new” you, you’ll be set for a long time to come. Since you like an entire coordinated line (rather than picking and choosing from many lines), there are only a couple I would recommend you try.

They each have a fully coordinated line which incorporates leading-edge ingredients to meet the needs of aging skin you read about in the Step Up Your Skin Care article I referred you to earlier:

• Sun Protection;
• Extra Moisture;
• Antioxidants;
• Exfoliation;
• Filling Peptides; and
• Lifting Peptides.

[Come back tomorrow for Jean’s top three Anti-Aging Skin Care Lines.]

Tags: anti-aging skin care, Step Up Your Skin Care, effective ingredients, Matrixyl-containing products, auto-ship plan abuse, cosmeceuticals, all-natural vs.synthetic ingredients, wrinkles

Reader Cry for "HELP!"

2009-10-22T05:00:00.003-05:00

[Continuing Jean’s response to Elise from Monday.]

Annemarie Borlind Skin Care
Annemarie Borlind doesn’t make “all ”-natural claims and the company has been very popular for decades. The company has a strong commitment to product purity which it defines as:

• Free from harmful pollutants;
• Obtained from controlled organic or wildcrafted sources;
• No genetic manipulation;
• Free from petroleum-based sources;
• Cruelty-free;
• Obtained from areas of the world where they have the maximum concentration of nutrients that benefit the skin; and
• Free from radioactive contamination.

From what I can tell (without full ingredient lists which I couldn’t find on the website), these are excellent products with exceptional quality control.

What may be lacking, from an anti-aging skin care perspective (and again I can’t be sure because the website doesn’t supply the information), are advanced Cosmeceutical Peptides.

Also, though the best non-prescription exfoliating/collagen-stimulating ingredients are defined in the website’s Ingredient Dictionary, I could only find Lactic Acid listed in any of the Active Ingredient lists. I would like to see some retinoids or Glycolic Acid. On the other hand, Annemarie Borlind uses nanoparticles “to transport … ingredients … . into deeper layers of dermis ”.

Personally, I’m fine with this. I believe in the benefits of Nanotechnolgy and doubt that nanoparticles applied to the skin get into your bloodstream. But there are some who fear they do.

Where do You go from Here?
If you are okay with using advanced skin anti-aging ingredients (purified and/or synthesized in a lab), consider some of the Perricone products or products on my Top Ten Skin Care Pick list.

Thank you for a great series of questions, which both made and exhausted my day. LOL.

Regards,
Jean

Tags: anti-aging skin care, Step Up Your Skin Care, effective ingredients, Matrixyl-containing products, auto-ship plan abuse, cosmeceuticals, all-natural vs.synthetic ingredients, wrinkles

Reader Cry for "HELP!"

2009-10-21T05:00:00.001-05:00

[Continuing Jean’s response to Elise from Monday.]

Your Skin Problem
You’re 40 and are just “seeing the first signs of wrinkles below [your] eyes and [you’re] upset! ”?!

My gosh, you should thank your lucky stars! Or genetics. Or the Annemarie Borlind products. Most of us start seeing the first signs of wrinkles in our late 20s!

Whatever the reason, you are really blessed with exceptionally youthful skin. Even so, I understand how upsetting this moment is for you. I can remember thinking, “I guess it’s all downhill from here”.

But then I got busy searching for the best skin care products I could find to slow the advance. That was thirty years ago. Today there are so many more choices. There are products that not only slow the progression of skin aging but even reverse it to a noticeable extent.

Please read my article on how to Step Up Your Skin Care as your skin shows signs of aging. Let me warn you, you may run into a dilemma if you are firmly convinced that “all-natural ” ingredients are the way to go.

In my opinion, much of the talk about all-natural skin care products is marketing hype and some of the all-natural claims you read are even false and misleading. Here’s something I wrote on The Debate over Natural vs. Synthetic Cosmetic Ingredients very recently.

Tags: anti-aging skin care, Step Up Your Skin Care, effective ingredients, Matrixyl-containing products, auto-ship plan abuse, cosmeceuticals, all-natural vs.synthetic ingredients, wrinkles

Reader Cry for "HELP!"

2009-10-20T05:00:00.001-05:00

[Continuing Jean’s response to Elise from yesterday.]

Matrixyl Products
Of all the Matrixyl-containing anti-aging creams I’ve written about, I’m surprised you chose Dermapril. I don’t have the full ingredient list, so I can’t review it. In addition, the company uses an auto-ship program along with its “free ” trial offer.

Are you aware you may have signed up for an auto-ship program when you ordered your “free” Dermapril? If you knew that, fine. If not, please go back and read the small print on the order page. If you’re not happy with the idea, read my article on How to Deal with Auto-Ship Plan Abuse.

Dr. Perricone Products
I’m a huge Dr. Perricone fan. I’ve read all his anti-aging books and buy his products whenever I can afford them. They’re a definite splurge.

Currently I’m using his Advanced Alpha Lipoic Acid Face Firming Activator with DMAE and loving it!

In addition to DMAE which has a wonderful and long lasting firming effect, the Face Firming Activator contains everything I look for in a skin anti-aging product for day except sun protection:

• Skin identical products to moisturize and reinforce the skin’s barrier function, especially my top two faves – Urea and Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Hyaluronate);
• Excellent antioxidant cocktail to fight free radicals (ALA – the universal antioxidant, Ascorbyl Palmitate (the active form of Vitamin C which you mentioned), Green Tea Leaf Extract and more);
• High concentration of exfoliating and collagen-boosting Glycolic Acid; and
• Active Copper Gluconate – the skin remodeling peptide.

Tags: anti-aging skin care, Step Up Your Skin Care, effective ingredients, Matrixyl-containing products, auto-ship plan abuse, cosmeceuticals, all-natural vs. synthetic ingredients, wrinkles

Reader Cry for "HELP!"

2009-10-19T05:00:00.001-05:00

Hello-

I just got onto your site for the first time and read about Matrixyl creams. I have ordered a trial of "Dermapril" to see what I think first since it’s free.

Can you also let me know what you think of Dr. Perricone’s products - they are based on DMAE, Vitamin C Palmitate, and a few other key ingredients.

Problem - I have been using German based Annemarie Borlind facial products for years because I was told they were the best and also did not have harmful chemicals in them that are not good for your bloodstream.

Yet at age 40 - I am seeing the first signs of wrinkles below my eyes and I am upset! Trying to figure out where to go next that is natural for my body and also actually works.

HELP!

Elise

============================================

Hi Elise,

You bring up so many excellent skin anti-aging issues, that I did little else today other than work on an answer to you that addresses every one of them. That’s just fine because I believe that you bring up issues which are on the minds of many of my readers.

============================================

Come back tomorrow for more of Jean’s response to Elise.

Tags: anti-aging skin care, Step Up Your Skin Care, effective ingredients, Matrixyl-containing products, auto-ship plan abuse, cosmeceuticals, all-natural vs. synthetic ingredients, wrinkles

Can’t Age Warriors Use the Same Makeup Products as "Everybody Else"?

2009-10-18T05:00:00.002-05:00

[Continued from Wednesday.]

First of all, who is “everybody else”? Not only is our Age Warrior skin different from when we were younger, it is unique to each one of us. Could you ever wear any makeup product you desired? Weren’t some too oily or too drying? Didn’t some products make you break out while “all your friends” could use them?

At any age, it’s necessary to select products formulated for your skin type at that point in time. For those of us who have attained Age Warrior status, that probably means using creamier products: liquid or cream foundations; cream eyeshadows and blushes; lip and eyeliners with soft leads.

Second, we have many more choices today and it’s getting easier to find makeup products for skin with visible signs of aging. Some are even specifically formulated for Age Warriors.

For example, Olay and Cover Girl have joined forces to develop an anti-aging foundation which includes award-winning Olay Regenerist Serum as well as SPF 22.

Cover Girl says the foundation “stays suspended over fine lines and wrinkles, unlike the leading anti-aging department store foundation that can gather in wrinkles and make skin look older”.

Sounds like just the thing. We bought some for testing, so you can expect my review soon.

Tags: makeup trends, adapting makeup trends, new makeup formulations, matching makeup to skin, choosing your best makeup, makeup fad and fashion, camouflage signs of age, makeup tips

Makeup Trends for Age Warriors: the Don’ts

2009-10-17T05:00:00.001-05:00

[Continued from yesterday.]

Don’t: Leave lines of demarcation where your foundation ends. It’s a clear sign that your makeup shade is too dark or light compared to your own skin. Also avoid heavy layers of foundation or the wrong formulation that cakes into lines and wrinkles.

I’ve only heard from one Age Warrior who is happy with mineral powder foundations. Her skin is oily at 65. Ninety percent of us need a moisturizing foundation because we have drier skin which is more typical for our age.

Don’t: Have sharp lines of demarcation on eyes or lips either. Avoid exaggerated eyeliner. Eyeliner should be used to frame the eye and accentuate upper and lower lashes which may have thinned with age. No Cleopatra eyes please!

Avoid exaggerated lipliner. Choose a tone close to your lipstick color. The object of lipliner is to define the lips and create a “dam” which keeps the lipstick where you want it. Lipliner should not be visible after your lipstick is applied.

Don’t: Get carried away with contouring. The face loses volume as we age. Think more of highlighting now, rather than shading. Unless your face is very full, too much shading below the cheekbone can make you look skeletal.

Come back tomorrow for tips on finding products formulated just for you.

Tags: makeup trends, adapting makeup trends, new makeup formulations, matching makeup to skin, choosing your best makeup, makeup fad and fashion, camouflage signs of age, makeup tips

Makeup Trends for Age Warriors: the Dos

2009-10-16T05:00:00.004-05:00

[Continued from yesterday.]

Do: As we tone down the foundation, it makes sense to tone down our other makeup colors as well. The stark contrast of very bright colors on eyelids and lips against paler skin can look garish.

As well, too much contrast draws the eye to the brighter area – not a good strategy if you want people to focus on you rather than the fine lines around your eyes and mouth.

Despite what some say, you can still wear shimmer on lids and lips. In fact, reflective particles can be used to visually soften lines. Just keep the colors softer. Try Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadows. [I love the Precious Metals quad for my cool skin tone.]

Do: Try new application tools and formulations. Makeup science has come a long way. Long-lasting lipsticks used to be dark, dull and drying. Now there are formulas with lovely colors and glossy finishes that even moisturize.

Try Revlon’s Colorstay Lipsticks. There’s a two-step (5-star rated) version – Overtime – and the one-step (4 ½-star rated) Ultimate.

Come back tomorrow for the “Don’ts” on following the latest makeup trends.

Tags: makeup trends, adapting makeup trends, new makeup formulations, matching makeup to skin, choosing your best makeup, makeup fad and fashion, camouflage signs of age, makeup tips

Shouldn’t Age Warriors Try to Follow the Latest Makeup Trends?

2009-10-15T05:00:00.006-05:00

[Continued from yesterday.]

It’s always good to stay abreast of makeup fashion trends; but never good to blindly follow them. What looks edgy and fashionable on a 20-year old may be clownish on a 60-year old.

We can’t cover all the visible signs of aging skin with heavy makeup, but we can camouflage and soften their appearance with subtle makeup application.

Do: Pay attention to gradual changes in skin tone and adjust foundation accordingly. Skin tone lightens with age. If you have a hard time being objective when you look in the mirror or if less than 20/20 eyesight makes it physically difficult, go to a department store and look for a makeup saleslady closer to your age who applies her own makeup with a subtle touch.

Have her analyze your skin tone. She should tell you whether it is warm (yellow undertone) or cool (blue undertone). Then she should select the two or three shades closest to your facial skin in your undertone family to try. The goal is to have foundation cover any unevenness in tone (age spots, dark circles) and to blend seamlessly into the skin of the neck.

Come back tomorrow for more "Dos" on following the latest makeup trends.

Tags: makeup trends, adapting makeup trends, new makeup formulations, matching makeup to skin, choosing your best makeup, makeup fad and fashion, camouflage signs of age, makeup tips